


Meetings

by nerdypipsqueak



Series: Fictober 2019 [31]
Category: A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia (1990), Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Established Relationship, Fictober 2019, M/M, Meet the Family, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, wedding robes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:27:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21536701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdypipsqueak/pseuds/nerdypipsqueak
Summary: Originally written for the last Fictober prompt: "Scared? Me?"Set in the Modern Royalty AU Nobody Asked For.Mr Lawrence meets Prince Feisal's family and the truth about their relationship is brought to light.
Relationships: Faisal I of Iraq/T. E. Lawrence
Series: Fictober 2019 [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1504691
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> For Christina_Marie who was interested in the wedding robes.

_London, England_

_DON'T FORGET STAG NIGHT_

The completely unnecessary capitals glare at me from the screen of my phone. I wonder, does Ali realise that capital letters in text messages indicate shouting?   
I'm happy for Ali but the perspective of having him, Abdullah and Zeid staying at my house and having his stag night here in London is... less than thrilling. I worry about Ned, because Ned is worried about how they will react to seeing him with me.   
The other thing that bothers me is that I don't know what Ali's got planned for the stag night. Ned doesn't drink, he doesn't like clubs and right now, with his arm in a sling and his ribs still healing, he's in no shape for paintball or anything like that.

"What was that?" Ned murmurs softly from his side of the bed. I can barely see him over the top of the little pillow fort he'd built to keep himself (and me because apparently I'm a "bed octopus") from aggravating his injuries.

"Just a reminder." I carefully breach the hypoallergenic pillow wall and run my fingers through Ned's messy morning hair.

"About the stag do?"

"Yes."

"I should stay at home. I don't want to cause you any grief with your family."

"Look, habibi, they're coming here, they'll see us together anyway..."

"I could go to a hotel."

"We already talked about this. We're a couple and there's no reason why I shouldn't take you to my brother's stag night as my plus one."

"I know but I can't help it."

"Are you scared?"

"Me?!" Ned blinks at me. "Me?! Scared?! Of what?"

"Of meeting my family in a less formal setting."

"I am NOT scared of your family." Ned scrambles out of his pillow fort and heads for the bathroom.

When I come downstairs breakfast is already waiting. It's eggs today and just the way I like them: as shakshuka, along with toast and fruit. The newspapers are waiting too: mine from Jordan, Ned's local. I place them by our plates and make Ned's coffee. He's going to scold me for it but that doesn't bother me one bit. He struggles enough trying to do things one-handed, he deserves a bit of pampering.   
I love pampering him, taking him out, giving him gifts. Only his reaction always puzzles me: oh no, Feisal, you shouldn't have, I can' believe this, surely I'm not worth all this trouble, effort, money, whatever. Like he feels that he's not good enough. It puzzles and bothers me.

He doesn't know yet that I've arranged to take him to France so that he can look at castles and cathedrals to his heart's content.

There's a commotion in the hallway, first the ring of the doorbell, then the sound of suitcases crashing into each other, followed by loud curses. 

"Oh. Em. Gee." Zeid, my teenage stepbrother saunters into the dining room. "This pad is sick."

"Hello to you too." I mutter under my breath.

"Oi! Kid, show some respect." Ali smacks Zeid on the back of the head. He sniffs and his attention instantly shifts to the breakfast table. "Oh sweet, you've got food."

"Get off it!" I swat his hand away from the toast. "There's not enough for all of us. I wasn't expecting you till tomorrow."

"Well, we had a change of plans. _Someone_ wanted a break from the bridezilla." Abdullah chips in. "Why is the table set for two?"

"Ooh, it is! Have you got a girl over?" Zeid asks, mischief written all over his face. God, he is so clueless. 

And then the door opens.

"Feisal, I need a hand, the bleeding strap is stuck again." Ned comes in, fumbling with his sling.

The room goes deafeningly silent.

Ned gapes.

Zeid and Abdullah stare back at him.

Ali raises his hand, waves, fluttering his fingers and in the creepiest, most obscene voice I've ever heard says: "hiiiii".

"So THIS is why you suddenly picked up and moved to England?" Abdullah is the first to regain his voice. "THIS is the big secret?!"

"You are so getting disowned." Zeid giggles gleefully.

"He's not getting disowned!" Ali smacks him again. "Father won't care as long as they're not in the papers too often."

Ned chews on his lip nervously. I help him readjust his sling, then wrap my arms around him.

"I should go." He tilts his head sideways to look up at me. "I'll ring my brother or one of my friends, stay out of your way..."

"No, your place is here with me, habibi." I tighten my hold on him. "If they have a problem they can leave." 

"The only problem I have is that you didn't tell me you were seeing someone." Abdullah points a thick, accusing finger at me. 

"I'll take the blame for that." Ned says. "I insisted that we keep our relationship private for Feisal's sake. I didn't want him to get into trouble and lose his family."

"Oh please! We're not Saudis!" Ali throws his hands in the air dramatically. "Nobody's getting disowned or stoned to death or anything like that."

"Although you deserve it." Abdullah jabs me in the shoulder with his finger. "You kept such a sweet little secret from us. We're your brothers, you can trust us."

"Yes, about as far as I can throw you." I quip.

"Aw, stop it." Ali pushes Abdullah to the side and gestures beckoningly at Ned. "Come here, let's have a look at you."

"Don't talk to him like that!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Ali heads back to the table. "Can we do breakfast now? I'm starving."

"So you used to work at the British embassy." Ali says between mouthfuls of shakshuka. "You know Antoinette?"

"Yes but we had different responsibilities, we didn't work together." Ned replies calmly, all nervousness gone. 

"How come you're not working there anymore?" 

"Apparently, according to my boss, I cannot be faithful to Feisal and loyal to England at the same time. So I was given a choice. I could leave or be forced out, a simple choice in my opinion."

"Really?"

"Yes. I love Feisal more than I love my job."

My heart swells with happiness, pride and love.

"Aaaaw!" Ali coos, beaming. Beside him Zeid mimicks vomiting.

"So what are your plans for the future?" Abdullah asks, smothering his toast with butter. 

"I'm not sure yet." Ned begins toying with his sling again. "I'm an archaeologist by trade, I might go back to that. Or I might go back to university."

"As a student or lecturer?"

"Either."

"How are you going to support yourself if you go back as a student? Or are you expecting Feisal to do it?"

" _Abdullah_!" I kick him under the table. "Stop interrogating him."

"It's alright." Ned takes my hand. "Your brother just wants to make sure I'm not using you. I can understand that."

"He's good, this one. I like him." Abdullah stabs the air with his toast, punctuating his words.

"Well, I'm glad you approve." I tell him.

"You should bring Ned to my wedding." Ali interjects. "Introduce him to Father and Adila and the rest of the family."

"It's an option." I say, my eyes on Ned. He nods and smiles but I can see that he's getting nervous. I can feel it too, in the way his hand tightens around mine. I cover it with my other hand and begin stroking in slow, soothing circles. "But only if Ned wants it."

"It's up to you. I just don't want to cause trouble with your family." He says softly.

"But if you're with him..." Zeid points at Ned with his fork. "Doesn't that mean you get cut out off the succession?"

"Don't you worry, me and Abdullah will make sure to rule so long that you will never get to be king." Ali instantly jumps to our defence. Ned's lip twitches upwards, his shoulders start shaking. He tries to stifle himself but after a few second he gives in and positively erupts with laughter.

I can't resist, I have to taste that sweet laugh. I kiss the corner of Ned's mouth, which immediately elicits more laughter.

"That's it! Too much cuteness!" Ali rises. "Come on, guys, let's go unpack, give theses two some privacy."

Once they're gone I kiss Ned again, slowly and thoroughly, until we're both breathless. He looks up at me, I can see the question in his eyes, the question he's scared to ask.

"They like you." I tell him. "I know they're loud and boisterous and that Zeid needs to learn some respect, but they really like you."

"I'm glad." He smiles. "But what about the wedding? Do you want me to go?"

"I'd love to take you with me, introduce you to the rest of my family. But only if you feel that you're ready for it."

"I think I am."

_Amman, Jordan_

Ned's very quiet today, very quiet indeed. He'd been incredibly... affectionate earlier this morning and uncharacteristically so, his morning routine doesn't involve lovemaking, at least not before we've brushed our teeth. Not that I mind, Ned's the most beautiful creature in the world and I'm always happy to indulge his every desire. 

Only now he's awfully quiet and tense...

We're meeting my father and his wife today, I'm a little nervous but not too much. My mind is set: if Father decides to disown me then so be it. I love Ned more than my place in the succession. Anyway, I don't think I will get disowned. Father may have been hard on us (except for Zeid, he's the miracle baby) when we were children but the truth is he wants us to be happy and it would take only an extremely public scandal for him to interfere with our personal lives.

Ned's curled up on the sofa, his gaze fixed on the window, arm cradled against his chest. He looks so vulnerable, so _fragile_... It breaks my heart.

"Out with it." I sit beside him. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing." He says quickly. Too quickly.

"Are you scared?"

"Me?! No! No, Feisal, I'm not scared. I'm bloody terrified!"

"Why, habibi? Talk to me." I move closer to him, try to put my arm around him but he shies away.

"These could be our last moments together for all we know." He looks at me, his eyes swimming with tears. "If your father doesn't accept me... I don't want you to lose your family because of me."

"You're scared that my father will order me away from you? That's not going to happen, I promise. Nothing in this world can make me leave you."

Ned lets out a shuddering breath, his lip trembling. I put my arm around him again, this time he goes easily, letting me cradle him to my chest.

"I can live without my estate and my title but I cannot live without you." I tell him, whispering the words into his delightfully soft hair. 

He sighs deeply, snuggling up closer to me. "And I cannot live without you."

"You won't have to, I promise."

"Welcome home, son." Father squeezes my hands. He looks good for his age, he might well outreign the Queen of England. "It's good to see you again, it's been so long... Who's that behind you?"

"This is Ned." I turn and gesture for Ned to come closer. "He used to..."

"He used to work at the British Embassy." Father finishes my sentence for me. "Mr Lawrence, isn't it?"

"Yes, your Majesty." Ned bows lightly.

"Your departure was rather abrupt. What brings you back?"

"Well..." Ned looks up at me with eyes full of fear, hope and the purest love I've ever seen.

"We're a couple." I say and brace myself for a lecture, a slap in the face, I'm not even sure what anymore.

"Yes, I know. Abdullah told me. I was wondering how long it would take you to tell me yourself."

"You know?!" Oh, I am going to murder Abdullah in his sleep. Ned's features are perfectly impassive but the storm brewing in his eyes tells me he's having very similar thoughts.

"Yes, I do. Your brother made sure to tell everybody who would listen. And multiple times."

"So everyone knows."

"Everyone knows."

"Everyone?"

"And I thought you were the smart one." Father shakes his head reproachfully. "Come along, they're all waiting in the garden."

He sets off without a single glance in our direction. Ned raises a questioning eyebrow at me, bewildered at how smoothly the conversation with my father went. I can understand that, I'm a little surprised too. I was expecting a talking to at the very least. But since I've already been outed by my own brother all I can do is go with the flow. I put an arm around Ned and with a reassuring squeeze to his shoulders propel him to the garden.

What happens when we reach the garden is utter pandemonium. My aunts and Father's current wife swoop on us in a cacophony of squeals and "aww"'s and giggles. As they pass a now mildly terrified Ned from hand to hand, poking, prodding and sizing him up I look for Abdullah. Our eyes meet long enough for him to see me shake my head and run a finger across my throat.

"You have frighteningly blue eyes!" Adila, Father's wife, cries out dramatically, her hand on Ned's chin, yanking his face about. "It's like looking at the sky through an empty skull."

"Nobody cares." My aunt Rania pushes her aside. "As long as he's good to Feisal. Is he good?"

"He's amazing." I nod quickly. Ned blushes a furious shade of pink.

"He's so young!" Rania gushes. "How old are you, sweetie? Let me guess. Nineteen? Twenty?"

"Thirty." Ned looks embarrassed now. I really want to save him but before I can make my move Rania has already dragged him off to the table and is piling cake on his plate. It's a good thing Ned likes his sweets.

At first he seems ill at ease, uncomfortable with all the attention, with how loud and tactile, not to mention awfully nosy, my family are. But right now he's relaxed, smiling, patiently answering all the questions fired at him by my aunt and stepmother, questions that are becoming increasingly probing. I try to intervene but Ned stops me and carries on as if this type of interrogation is a normal everyday occurrence.

"He sure can handle himself." Father whispers in my ear.

"Yes. He has a way with people." I whisper back.

"And he makes you happy."

"He does."

"All I ask is that you two stay out of the media. You've always been very progressive in your thinking but this country isn't ready for..."

"For someone like me."

"Yes. So please be careful."

"You do realise that I am bringing Ned to the wedding? And that I cannot control the paparazzi?"

"Yes. Just don't be...flashy with your affection."

"We'll be careful but we won't pretend to be something we are not."

"The heart wants what the heart wants and there's nothing we can do about it. Just don't cause any trouble, alright?"

"Alright." I nod, helping myself to Rania's despicably sweet cake. Ned's on his second slice, bless him. Only he can stomach that much sugar. 

He's enjoying himself and that's all I want: for him to be happy.

It's less than an hour till the wedding and Ned's nowhere to be seen. He's not answering his phone and I'm starting to get concerned. It's unlike him to disappear without a word of warning.  
We've been staying at Rania's house for the past week. She was extremely insistent about this. Fair enough, it's more private than the hotel, we don't have to worry about being seen or photographed but on the other hand I do wonder what her motives are. 

"You look stunning!" The devil herself emerges from behind the door right in front of me.

"Why thank you." I smile politely. "Have you seen Ned?"

"He's in here." Rania points at the door.

"Dare I ask why?"

"See for yourself." She winks. 

Cautiously I push the door open and step inside. I find myself in what can only be described as a dressing room. There's a vanity table, complete with three mirrors set at different angles, an archway leading to a walk-in wardrobe, even an elevated section of the floor, meant for fittings, I suppose. And standing on that elevated section is an absolute vision.

Ned smiles at me shyly. He's wearing a thawb made of the purest, whitest silk I've ever seen, the chest embroidered with white thread, a gilded belt and a gossamer-thin bisht, trimmed with gold. He looks like an angel, a dream, a creature from fantasies I didn't even know I had until now and I find myself rooted to the spot, speechless.

"Are you alright?" Ned's smile falters. "I can get changed if this is inappropriate."

"Oh, this is very, very appropriate." I reassure him quickly. "More than appropriate actually. But... what is this?"

"They were meant to be yours." Rania says behind me, startling me. "For your wedding. But since you're not getting married anytime soon..."

"You repurposed them." I finish her sentence.

"Well, they only needed a little resizing. Anyway. Let me give you two some privacy." With a little wave and another wink Rania slips out of the room. Slowly, I head towards Ned. I must admit I'm having extremely inappropriate thoughts now, thoughts that involve the vanity table and my hand hiking up the hem of that gorgeous thawb. Although the floor would do nicely too. Or the wall.

"You look like you're about to eat me." Ned puts him arms around my neck. Standing on that elevated floor makes him almost as tall as me, the angle is new, interesting and incredibly exciting. 

"Believe me, you look delicious. Would you be offended if I kissed you?"

"I'd be offended if you didn't."

I pull him closer, so that we're chest to chest, and kiss his delightfully soft, warm mouth. He purrs softly, I feel the sound before I hear it, vibrating through both of us.

"We could stay here, my sweet." I nip at Ned's chin.

"Ah-ah. Duty first, we've got to go to the wedding. But if you're good I might let you... unwrap me later."

"I will be on my best behaviour." I give him another kiss, shifting my arms lower to wrap just beneath his backside, lifting him off the elevation and carefully depositing him on the floor beside me. He laughs, his fingers twining with mine, tugging me towards the door.

"Come on then."

_Chartres, France_

We did our best, we really did. We tried. But when an Arab prince brings another man (and an Englishman too!) as his plus one to his older brother's wedding the media tend to notice. It's not exactly a storm but the gossip magazines and websites are rife with speculation about "the mysterious Mr Lawrence".

At least the photos look nice.

I will never admit it out loud, not even to Ned but I do have a favourite press photo. It was taken as we were walking up to the palace and probably was meant to be a classic red carpet style picture. Instead, it's a brilliantly funny snap of Ned, gracefully balancing on one foot, fixing the heel of his shoe while I look on with a besotted grin on my face. I might get that photo printed and framed. 

Right now though I've got a much nicer picture in front of me.

Ned's sitting, cross-legged on the bed, wrapped in my dressing gown, coffee cup in one hand, pain chocolat in the other, one of the local magazines spread out on the mattress in front of him. He's smiling at the paper and that's good, it means whatever they've written either vastly inaccurate or incredibly silly.

"Unbelievable." Ned giggles. "Whoever wrote this thinks you employ me."

"Oh really?" I climb back into bed. "And in what capacity do I employ you?"

"They're not sure. Could be anything. Secretary, interpreter. Mistress."

"Mistress, hmm?" I tug at the sleeve of the dressing gown until it slides off Ned's shoulder. He trembles slightly when I kiss the now exposed skin, moving slowly, inch by inch, towards his neck.

"Feisal..." He moans ever so softly.

"Let me take this." I pluck the coffee cup from his hand and place it on the bedside table. "Now come here, my sweet."

Ned promptly sits in my lap, legs draped around my waist, and I reach up to stroke his neck.

"Weren't we supposed to go see the cathedral today?" He asks teasingly.

"Not until I've worshipped every single inch of you."

"Sounds like a plan." 

**Author's Note:**

> Please, please, PLEASE, don't be like Abdullah and don't out your family members or friends. You might thinking you're doing them a favour but the truth is they may not be ready to come out, they want to do it on their own terms or they know coming out will put them in danger.


End file.
